Car-coupling



W. IVIcCONWAY JR.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION man MAR. I. 1919.

1 332,507, Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- Witness Z (5" a Gil (Hi [2 1A 61/ J M/ I W. IVIcCONWAY, JR.

CAR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-1,1919.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 E 111 ueukvz P 4 10 Citron at UNITED STATES PATENT rricn.

WILLIAM MGCONWAY, J 1%., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE MGCONWAY 8c TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1920.

Application filed March 7, 1919. Serial No. 281,107.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM McCoNwAY, J12, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of car couplers wherein the coupler head and coupler stem are pivotally connected,

and has for its object to provide a simple.

and efficient construction for sustaining the lock actuating mechanism of the coupler and for retaining the pivot pin in position in the event it should be broken in service. Generally stated, this object is accomplished in a coupler having its head and stem pivotally connected by providing as a part of the release rigging mechanism by which the coupler is unlocked a bracketmember which extends under the pivot pin and interlockingly engages the coupler head, the bracket and head having a transversely extending tongue and groove connection preventing longitudinal movement of the bracket with respect to the coupler head, and the bracket being provided with a portion extending. rearwardly from the pivot pin to serve as a support for movable devices adapted to actuate the locking mechanism of the. coupler.

In the drawings illustrating my. invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car coupler mechanism embodying the invention, a portion of the coupler stem being omitted.

Fig. 2 is a detail, vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig.3 is a detail vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section on the line 4.-t, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section of a portion of the coupler head adjacent the lower pivot pin hole therein.

Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View of the bracket member, taken in the plane of the line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Fig. 7' is a detail view in inverted plan of a portion of the coupler head.

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of the bracket member.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the coupler head, 2 is the knuckle and 3 is the locking mechanism, shown as of the vertically sliding type, by which the knuckle is normally restrained fromoutward rotation. The coupler head is pivotally connected to the stem 4L by means of a pivot pin 5 which is preferably provided at its lower end with a head 6 and at its upper end with a castle nut 7. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 7 the coupler head 1 may be countersunk around the pivot pin hole, as at 8, to receive the head 6 of the pivot pin.

On the under side of the coupler head and on opposite sides of the pivot pin hole therein are a pair of transversely extending spaced lugs 9 which are provided at their lower ends with inturned flanges forming shoulders 10 adapted to extend under and support a transversely extending bar or tongue 11 formed on the upper side of the bracket 1:2 which supports the movable devices of the coupler release rigging mechanism. The lugs 9 are preferably formed intermediate of their ends with curved segmental recesses 13 as such a construction permits the lugs to be placed close together without interfering with the downwart withdrawal of a pivot pin of large diame ter; and at one end said lugs are provided with shouldersor stops 1i adapted to engage corresponding shoulders 15 on the interlocking tongue 11 of the bracket 12 and thereby limit transverse movement of the bracket in one direction on thecoupler head 1.

The tongue or bar 11 of the bracket 12 is preferably of T-shape in cross-section, being provided with ,an upper plate-like portion 11 adapted to have overlapping engagement with the flanges or shoulders 10 of the lugs 9, and being formed with a downwardly extending portion 11 adapted to pass between the opposed faces of the said shoulders 10. The bracket 12 extends downwardly from the bar 11 to form a support for the lock actuating mechanism. This portion of the bracket is preferably fashioned as a pair of spaced arms 16 extending longitudinally both forwardly and rearwardly from the tongue 11 so as to span the space between the lugs 9 of the coupler head 1 and thus afford a very firm support for the uncoupling levers carried at the rear end of the bracket. The bracket 12 may be maintained in assembled position on the coupler head by means of a cotter 17 which passes through a perforated lug or extension 18 of the tongue 11 and is adapted to extend behind the ends of the lugs 9 011 the under side of the coupler head 1.

The mechanism for actuating the coupler lock 3 to unlock the coupler may consist of a lever 19 pivotally mounted on the bracket 12, the latter in such case being provided with hook-like bearings 20 for the pivot 21 of the lever. Below its point of pivotal support the lever 19 may be provided with a pocket or recess 22 for receiving the upturned end of an uncoupling lever 23 extending to the side of the car in the usual man-- ner.. This is a well known form of construction now in use and therefore requires no further description.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, means for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket interlockingly connected to said head and serving to prevent accidental displacement of said means for pivotally connecting said head and stem.

2. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a pivot pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism being supported beneath said head and involving a bracket detachably mounted upon said head and extending under said pivot pin, said head being provided with a plurality of transversely extending spaced lugs having shoulders adapthead and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket serving to prevent accidental displacement of said pivot pin, and said bracket and head being provided with interlocking means preventing movement of said bracket longitudinally of said head and being adapted to be interlocked and disengaged by a movement of said bracket transversely of said head. a

4:. In a device of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its lmuckle locking means, of a coupler stein, pivot pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism involving a bracket having a portion extending under said pivot pin and a portion extending rearwardly from said pivot pin, and said coupler head and bracket being provided with interlocking means comprising tongue and groove Inembers extending transversely of said head.

5. In a devlce of the character indicated, the combination with a coupler head and its knuckle locking means, of a coupler stem, a pivot pin for pivotally connecting said head and stem, and mechanism for moving said knuckle locking means to unlocked position, said mechanism being supported beneath said head and involving a bracket detachably mounted upon said head and extending under said pivot pin, said head being provided on opposite sides of said pivot pin with spaced lugs having shoulders adapted to engage and support said bracket, and said spaced lugs having oppositely disposed recesses adapted to permit the passage of said pivot pin.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM MCCONWAY, JR, 

